Coffin-protector



Pattented Sept. 27, 1887.

e. T. PILRRT e W. T. BROWN.

OOTTIN PROTECTOR. t

(No Model.)

GEORGE PHILLIP PILERT AND WILLIAM THOMAS BROWN, OF CATONS VILLE, MARYLAND.

COFFlN-PROTECTOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 370,408, dated September 27, 1887. y

Serial No. 231,425. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, GEORGE PHILLIP PILERT and WiLLIAM THOMAS BROWN, citizens of the United States, residing at Catonsville, in the county of Baltimore and State of Maryland, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Coffin-Protectors, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates to improvements in burglar-proof burial-vaults,the object of which is to provide means whereby a coffin may be Vso secured in the vault as to effectually prevent its extraction ,therefrom In the drawings hereto annexed, Figure 1 is a perspective view of the device in its closed or locked position before being set in the bottom of a grave. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal central section thereof, as seen when secured in the bottom of a grave. Fig. 3 is a transverse central section of the same. Fig. 4 is a horizontal section on the line m v of Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a detail section through the latch at one end of the vault.

Referring to the drawings, in which similar letters denote corresponding parts in all the figures, A designates the bodyof the vault, comprising a box (in this case rectangular in shape) having perforations a a in the sides and ends near the bottom, through which are passed the anchor bolts or spikes B, driven from the inside of the said vault and extending a considerable distance into the earth on all sides. The top C of the said box is adapted to be securely fastened on the upper side of the box after said box has been secured in the grave and the coffin placed therein.

D D represent loops bolted firmly to the sides of the box at the center thereof, and in a vertical groove, E, formed in each side of the box under the said loops and extending the entire height of the box, is placed aleaf-spring, F, secured to the box at the lower end and curved outwardly at the part under the said loop, with the upper end adapted to bear and slide in the said groove when the outwardlycurved portion of the spring is pressed toward the box.

G G are bands extending entirely across the ends of the box and a short distance along the sides thereof, where the ends are secured by bolts to the said sides similarly to the loops D.

E is a groove similar to the groove E in the center of the end of the box, and having a spring, F', therein similar to the spring F.

H represents the cage, which is adapted to be placed over the box after the lid thereof has been secured in place, and the said cage comprises a frame-work of flat metal bars crossed and riveted or bolted firmly together. In the said cage I I are longitudinal bars on the upper side thereof at the outer edges, extending the entire length thereof and bent downwardly at right angles at the ends of the box, and areadapted to be carried to the bottom thereof.

K is a similar bar parallel with the bars I and midway between them, whichis also bent at right angles and carried a short distance down the ends of the box.

The transverse bars L are placed across the ends of the upper side of the cage, secured firmly to the bars I K at each crossing, and carried at the ends down the sides of the box to the bottom thereof, thus forming,in combination with the downturned ends ofthe bars I, the rightangled corner-pieces M, which are adapted to receive and closely fit the corners of the box, thus affording ample protection thereto shouldthe box be constructed with joints at the corners. The lower ends of the said corner-pieces are adapted to be received under the end bands, G G, which are, las hereinbefore explained, carried around the said corners, and the corner-protectors are thus bound the box.

N represents a cross brace-bar parallel with and intermediate between the end braces, L, and bent downwardly at the ends and extended a short distance down the sides of the box in a similar manner to the ends of the longitudinal bar K.

Securely bolted or riveted to the inner sides of the depending ends of the bars K andN are the upper ends of the stout leaf-springs O I), respectively, which springs O P are pro- F, respectively, having a flat upper side and a beveled or rounded under side. The tendency of the springs O I is outward,or away from the box, and the cage is placed over the said box and pressed down into place, (the vided on the lower ends with the detents O v or held securely in contact with the corners of 8 5 lOO bars I K being'designed in that position to rest on the lid thereof.) The beveled under sides of the detents, operating against the upper edges of the loops D and bands G, press the springs inwardly until the detents are beloW the said loops and bands, when they again assume their normal position and cause the detents to engage under the lower edges of the said loops. As the detents O P,pressed against the force of the springs O l?, are caused to pass the staples, they also depress the outwardlycurved central part of the leaf-springs F F, and when the said detents have passed below the staples the power of the said springs will aid in preventing the detents from being disengaged therefrom. v The upper edges of the loops and bands are beveled to allow the detents to pass down in rear thereof more readily.

R R represent transverse braces placed, respectively, midway between the end braces, L, and the central brace, N, and the ends thereof are turned down on each side of the box a short distance to prevent the lid thereof from being split or otherwise operated upon. Thus it will be seen that the said cage is thoroughly braced in all directions and the lid of the vault 4is amply protected against attack, as it is evident from the above description that after the cage has been securely locked in place all the points of the vault which are liable to attack from the tool of a burglar are safely and strongly guarded.

It will be also evident that the double springs on each side of the vault would be almost impossible to depress to release the cage,

.even with the vault in a position to be easily reached but when firmly secured in the bottom of a grave, with the sides of the said grave coming close up to the sides of the vault, the release of the cage would be an undertaking practically impossible of accomplishment. In our device, however, it is our intention to provide means to guard against 'even the possibility of accomplishing the said release; and for this reason we secure the guard plate or strip S to the upper side of the .bar N and carry the ends thereof down the oppositesides of the box, outside of the springs l?, far enough to close down tightly upon the upper edges of the loops D, and thus guard the springs l? effectually against the use of a lever or pry, and wealso secure the end plates, T, to the downwardly -bent portions of the bars I I and carry the lower edges thereof down to the upper edges of the bands G, thus guarding the springs O. We have thus provided means for effectually protecting all the points possible to be reached by the tool of a grave burglar, and have also guarded the means of securement of the protecting-cage,

so as to make it absolutely impossible for the said cage to be released after having been properly secured in place.

It will be evident that the manner of securing the cage is very simple, it being only necessary to place it over the box and press down upon it sufficiently to engage the detent under the staples, this being accomplished lvery readily.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

1. The combination, with a grave vault adapted to be rigidly secured in the bottom of a grave, and. having the loops D and bands G thereon, of the lid C and ,the cage H, formed of metallic bars adapted to be closed down over the lid, and having the ends of the said bars bent downwardly to engage over and protect the corners and edges of the vault, and the spring-latches to engage in the said staples and bands to hold the cage in place, substantially as described, for the purpose set forth.

2. A grave-vault having the loops on the sides, combined with the cage H, comprising a frame-Work of bars secured together and having the central longitudinal and transverse bars,K N, provided with depending ends, combined with the leaf springs O P, secured on the inner sides ofthe said depending ends and provided with detents O P to engage under the loops, substantially as described.

3. A grave-vault having bands on the sides and ends and vertical grooves thereunder, having th'e leaf-springs F F therein, combined with the cage having depending springs O P, and the detents O P on thelower ends, adapted, when the cage is pushed down, to depress the springs F and engage under the said bands, substantially as described.

4. The combination, with agrave-vaulthaving the bands on the sides and ends, of the cage I-l, depending leaf springs or latches on the sides and ends thereof to engage in the said bands when the cage is in place, and the guard plates or strips S and T, secured to the said cage over the springs and adapted to rest at the lower edges on the upper edges of the said bands Ito protect the latches', substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony that we claim the foregoing as our own we have hereto affixed our signatures 1n presence of two witnesses.

GEORGE PHILLIP PILRRT. WILLIAM THoMAs BROWN.

Witnesses: -I

HENRY J. PILRRT, CRAs. A. PFEIFFER.

IOO 

